ACP, Maxim, and PWI3

[Grady Boyce]

In Getting Started Step 5, item 1, the instructions have us turn on Maxim telescope control via ACP. Does this always have to be ON in Maxim to function under ACP? Or does it suffice to have ACP connected through the ACP console alone? When Maxim was connected to the telescope, there are some occasional errors with PWI3 about to programs trying to access the same file. This error message does not pop up when Maxim is NOT connected to the telescope.

[Bob Denny]

I think I understand. ACP needs to talk to the telescope to slew it and start/stop tracking for safety. MaxIm needs to talk to the telescope to do guiding (whether or not ACP is controlling MaxIm's guiding).

One thing, given your high end telescope... you can connect MaxIm directly to PWI instead of going through ACP. Using ACP as a hub is only needed if the scope has an older/cheaper ASCOM driver that is incapable of handling multiple apps. PWI can do it without a problem...

... except you are hinting that PWI is having "occasional errors" when MaxIm is connected along with "programs". I'm not sure what you mean and without more info I can't analyze that problem PWI should be fine with MaxIm connected for guiding and ACP connected for slewing etc. Can you be more specific? What other programs are talking to the PWI? Could they be active at the same time, causing PWI to become confused? ACP and MaxIm together are used in a way that avoids conflict. Bringing another program into the mix and asking ti to do stuff simultaneously would be a problem.

[Grady Boyce]

I'll screen capture the problem when/if it happens again. The system ran last night, all night, without error. So, maybe this was a glitch in the matrix that is gone.